Golden
by SassyAU
Summary: Bella is a ward of the state just trying to survive. Tanya is a centuries old vampire that takes up teaching at the local high school to pass the time. A connection quickly forms and changes the course of both their lives forever.


**_WARNINGS: _**_This story will center around a homosexual relationship between Bella Swan &amp; Tanya Denali. I'd also like to point out the current rating of the story,** Mature (Fancy way of saying 18, and over)**. I have selected this rating for good reason as this work of fiction will contain adult content, smut, foul language, triggering scenes, and violence. This story is a complete AU based off the 2008 movie Twilight._ **Recap: Language, scenes that may be triggering for some, smut, homosexual and heterosexual relationships, violence, and adult content.**_**  
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**_Disclaimer: _**_Now as to my least favorite part. The disclaimer. I hate having to admit this, but I own nothing except my writings, and ideas. This story is based off the 2008 movie, Twilight. I do not own or claim to own the movies/books. I make no profits off this.__  
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_AN: I recently discovered that a piece of my exposition wasn't true. It does actually snow in Arizona. I'd like to thank the Anon that brought this to my attention. You truly learn new things every day! I also went back and fixed a few errors I noticed and added a bit more detail to certain things. The changes are so small you probably won't notice them. Thank you!_

**Summary: Bella is a ward of the state just trying to survive. Tanya is a centuries old vampire that takes up teaching at the local high school to pass the time. A connection quickly forms and changes the course of both their lives forever. **

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_I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory._

_Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 1, p.6_

_Chapter One:_

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The duffel bag felt like it was full of bricks. She was beyond exhausted. Between the three hour wait time at Arizona's National Airport that Bella had spent sipping a cold Pepsi at a small restaurant that had been conveniently close to her gate, and the five hour turbulence filled plane ride that had almost made the Pepsi come up, Bella was understandably ready for a long nap. She'd landed in Healy, Alaska approximately twenty minutes ago. This airport was tiny compared to the one in Phoenix. It was also filled to the brim with other travelers. It was the definition of chaos. People were grabbing luggage, and hollering for family members. People had bumped into her, and pushed her without so much as a glance back. It was like she wasn't even there. All the movement and noise made Bella's temples throb.

Bella tried not to run into anyone as she moved towards the airport doors. Dave, her third social worker over the past three years, had been vague in his instruction about what to do when she landed. Dave had only told Bella that the family was looking forward to meeting her, and that they would be waiting to pick her up outside of the airport when her flight was grounded. Bella pulled the hood of her coat up around her head, and moved her free hand into her coat pocket. She managed to push the door open with her hip. The Alaskan air held a sharp bite, and it made Bella's cheeks burn. It was colder than she had imagined. It was definitely a huge change from her usual setting in Phoenix. It was December. In Arizona it had been extremely humid. Alaska seemed to be the polar opposite. Bella's breath came out in barely visible clouds that hung in front of her face. Beyond the airport parking lot she could see miles and miles of thick snow, a extremely dense vegetation population, and a skyline that was interrupted by the sharp summit of the mountains. Bella had only ever seen pictures of mountains in her books. The rocky outline seemed to go on for miles. Even though the view was breathtaking, it wasn't enough to lift her mood.

It had been Dave's idea to relocate her to Alaska, and no one had asked for Bella's opinion. To the government it was simple. If there was a family in Alaska willing to play the gracious role of host for a measly check of three hundred a month, then it was a done deal. They shipped the kid off to live with strangers without another thought. Bella had spent her whole life moving around. She'd been to eight different states in the past six years alone. She was used to new. She'd stayed with all kinds of families. Some were nice enough, and others had preferred to keep their interactions with the foster kid to a minimum.

Her whole body felt cold, and she tucked her face into her hood. She heard the crappy engine, before she saw the car. A rusty red Chevy pickup jerked into the parking lot. Bella watched it circle the lot before it rumbled to a slow stop right in front of her. The windows were almost completely frosted over making it impossible for Bella to see inside the cab. She just stood there for a few seconds, and then the passenger door flew open. She quickly stepped back. The woman that emerged from the truck looked to be in questionable condition. Bella would have guessed the woman was somewhere in her late forties. She was a little taller than Bella, and looked extremely frail.

"Hey," the woman looked at her for a quick moment. "You Isabella?"

"Just Bella," she responded.

"I'm Sarah. We're your new foster family."

Bella only nodded. She'd been through this over a dozen times. It was almost always the same.

"Just one bag?" the woman gestured to Bella's worn down duffel. She had purchased the forest green duffel bag somewhere between Kansas and Iowa for ten dollars in a thrift shop. The medium sized bag had been her only constant companion for just over three years. She had quickly learned to pack light. When Bella was first put into the system she lugged toys, clothes, and pictures from her past life with her. Over time her possessions had dwindled. Some items had been stolen by other foster kids, and some things she had been forced to leave behind. All her belongings now fit easily in her bag. A few articles of clothing, necessary toiletries, and a single picture of her mother.

"I don't have much," Bella answered. Sarah seemed to think about it for a minute, and then she opened the back door of the truck. Bella watched as Sarah pushed trash out of the seat and onto the floorboard. The back of the truck was littered with empty cigarette packs, fast food wrappers, and crushed beer cans. The aluminum crunched under her feet as Bella hopped up into the truck. Sarah closed the door behind her, and then sat back in the passengers seat. The truck pulled off fast, and was moving away from the crowded airport at a high speed. The man in the drivers seat was smoking a cigarette, and the smoke permeated throughout the car. It made Bella's eyes sting. Metallica blasted from the trucks speaker system.

"Jesus, Buck. Turn it down" Sarah shouted over the music. The man only grunted in response.

Sarah looked even smaller inside of the truck. Bella couldn't help but think Sarah might shatter into a million pieces and drift out the open window every time Buck hit a speed bump. Sarah rolled her eyes, and switched off the radio herself.

"This is Buck, my husband," she smiled. Buck smacked her hand away from the knobs. "Can't even listen to the damn radio in my own fucking truck," he mumbled to himself, but he didn't move to turn the music back on. Sarah continued on like he hadn't spoken at all. "We've got our son Mike living with us. He's seventeen, only one year older than you. I'm sure you'll love him."

Every kid in the system was used to packed houses. Bella's last family in Phoenix had seven other foster kids; she had shared a small room with five other girls. Having only one other kid in the house was going to be a nice change.

"You'll be going to the same school he does. Central High. Me, and Buck went there ourselves," Sarah smiled sadly. "A damn waste of time that shit was," Buck said as he shifted the trucks gears and flicked his cigarette out the window.

Sarah shook her head, and leaned on the arm rest. "Don't listen to Buck. Best years of my life."

"You dropped out," Buck chuckled from beside her. "The only decent thing you got out of that was me, woman."

"Course," Sarah nodded, and turned back around in her seat. Bella took that as the end of the conversation.

Bella had always been the new girl. Never staying at one school for more than a year. She should have been used to first days, but they never got any easier no matter how many times she went through them. The thought of Central High School made her stomach turn. Bella quickly averted her line of thought before she hurled in the backseat. That would make a great first impression on her new fosters.

The truck made a sharp turn and pulled into a dirt drive way that was covered in a fresh layer of snow. Bella peered out the window, and immediately recoiled. The house was a poor sight. The paint looked like it had once been a brilliant shade of white, but it had been reduced to a murky gray over time. The roof was covered with small holes. Trash was scattered about the front yard. Buck turned off the engine, and hoisted himself out of the drivers seat without a word. Bella watched as he stomped through the snow, up the steps, and into the house.

"He's always an asshole. Don't take it to heart," Sarah said as she unbuckled her seat belt and opened the passenger side door. Bella grabbed her bag, and hopped out of the truck. The snow covered her plain black sneakers and immediately soaked her socks. Bella cursed under her breath. Sarah was already halfway to the house. Bella reluctantly followed. The stairs that led to the porch were in a pathetic state of disrepair. The bottom two steps had completely collapsed, and the other three stairs looked like they could cave at any second. Bella gripped the rail tight as she tiptoed up them after Sarah.

Their house, like their car, was messy to say the least. The living room had brown walls, and a rough beige carpet. A dark couch was placed directly in the center of the room, with a small television in front of it. The lighting was poor, but Bella could still see the dirty dishes that sat long forgotten on the coffee table, and the beer cans that had been stuffed under the couch.

"Come on," Sarah placed her hand on Bella's back. "I'll show you the downstairs area, and my son will show you to your room."

Bella was guided into the next part of the house. The kitchen wasn't much better than the living room. The walls were painted a gaudy shade of yellow. Some of the dark brown cabinets were missing their doors. The sink was overflowing with dishes that still had pieces of old food stuck to them. The stove was covered in grease. It was a shock the government had deemed the house livable, let alone allowed them to foster kids in it.

"You're welcome to anything in the fridge," Sarah said.

"Thanks," Bella replied. She didn't want to go near the fridge, let alone eat from it.

Sarah walked back out into the living room and yelled upstairs. "Mike, your new sister is here!"

Bella tried not to focus to hard on the dirty carpet, or the stains on the couch. She had stayed in some shady places, but this house topped the list. Bella knew she couldn't complain about it. This family had to work out until she aged out of the system. Dave had told her that it was getting harder for him to find families for her to stay with and that her next stop would be a group home. She'd heard stories about the alternative placement facilities. You were stuffed in a overpopulated house, locked down, your personal identity was stripped from you. You were just another face, not important to anyone. She'd gone sixteen years without being placed in a home, she only had to make it through another two.

Bella forced a smile onto her face. She would pretend everything was fine. The teenager that came downstairs was average in height, with tanned skin, and long brown hair that hung down into his face. Bella wasn't quite sure how he could see clearly.

"I'm Mike," the boy told her as he grabbed her hand. "You're Bella?"

His palm was sweaty. Bella nodded at his question, and tried to remove her hand from his. Mikes grip tightened.

"I'm sure we'll be really close, Bella."

"Yeah," she agreed. Maybe he wouldn't be that bad. She didn't want to judge him too quickly.

"Mike, will you show Bella to her room? I've got to get dinner started," Sarah said as she moved into the kitchen.

"Sure," he shrugged, and let go of Bella's hand. She had to resist the urge to rub her hand on the back of her jeans. Mike motioned for her to follow him up the stairs. The hallway looked to be in better condition than the rest of the house. "That's my parents room," Mike said as he pointed to the first door. "I wouldn't advise going in there." He continued on to the second door and claimed it as his own. The third door was a closet that Mike said served as their storage space. He opened the door at the far end of the hall, and pointed up the stairs. "You're in the attic."

That was a first. Bella had never slept in an attic. Mike stuffed his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, and raked his eyes across her body. Bella shifted uncomfortably.

"Thanks, Mike."

"It's no problem. Do you wanna hangout? Maybe I could get to know you a little better, huh?" He asked.

Bella couldn't help how she moved backwards when he stepped closer. "Maybe tomorrow? I'm really tired." It wasn't a total lie. She could feel the exhaustion down in her bones. All she wanted was to crawl into whatever bed that was waiting in the attic.

"No problem," Mike said. He stepped away. "I'll drive us to school tomorrow. Dad told me he'd let me take the truck. We have to be ready by six."

"Sounds good," Bella said as she walked up the stairs. They looked sturdier than the ones outside. Bella climbed them slowly just in case.

The room was small and only possessed the basics. The walls hadn't been painted. The wooden floor creaked as she moved further into her new space. It was almost completely bare except for the twin bed that had been pushed into the corner of the room, and the large floral rug that laid directly in the center of the floor. Bella was extremely happy to find a connected bathroom. She quickly fell in love with the attic. She wasn't used to having her own personal space. It was perfect in her eyes. Bella plopped her duffel bag down onto the blue comforter that covered her new bed, and began to unpack. There was more closet space than she required. The closet had double doors that pulled apart, and Bella could only fit halfway inside before she bumped her head. She hung what clothes she did have, and then she tugged her wet shoes off and threw them onto the closet floor to dry.

She put the picture of her mother up with a piece of tape. She placed it on the wall directly across from her bed. Bella liked to look at the picture as often as she could. It was the only thing she had left of her mom.

Bella shoved her bag off the bed, and plopped down. It felt good to relax. She didn't bother with changing out of her jeans. Within minutes Bella had fallen into an easy dreamless sleep.

* * *

Despite his promises, Mike had ditched her the moment they walked through the doors. He'd been more inclined to go hangout with his friends. Bella didn't mind. The way Mike looked at her sometimes gave her an uneasy feeling. She had found the main office with little hassle and secured her schedule. Biology had been first up. She'd been asked to stand and tell the class a little about herself. Bella's legs had refused to work, so she made a lame excuse and politely declined. In algebra nobody paid Bella much attention. Everyone seemed more focused on their math problems than the new girl. It had been her favorite class so far. Gym was the one class she absolutely dreaded. Luckily the coach had allowed her to sit her first day out. Anything that required balance or grace, Bella tried to avoid. She was accident prone, and gym had always been where she sustained the most injuries. Spanish had come easier to her than most of her other subjects. Her third set of foster parents had come from Mexico. They had always encouraged Bella to speak Spanish around their home.

Central High hadn't been what she was expecting. It had looked small from the outside perspective. The school had turned out to be fairly large. The building was made up of three wings, and could house a decent number of students. The halls were crowded, and most her classes had been full. In almost all of her classes Bella had sat away from her peers. Healy was a small town and most the kids had known each other since they started school. Despite her best efforts to blend in people noticed her. Most people paid the new girl little attention. Some wondered where she'd come from. A few came up and chatted with her.

Bella finished picking at the food on her lunch tray, she was ready to go when the tone sounded and indicated lunch was over. She pulled out her crumpled schedule from the back pocket of her jeans and read it silently. Class 6. _Juniors advanced History. Room 120. Instructor: Tanya_ _Denali. _History was one of her weakest subjects. She found history intriguing and she often wished that she could have been witness to some of the amazing events that occurred in the past. But Bella couldn't focus when she was reading about all the exciting things that happened in some outdated textbook. She stuffed the schedule back into her pocket, and dumped her tray into the garbage as she exited the cafeteria.

Biology was in room 118 so she had a general idea where to find her history class. She barely made it on time. Other students had taken their time getting to class, and now everyone was piling in the classroom at the last minute. Bella took the last open seat in the back row. Their teacher came in not a minute later.

Bella didn't know why her breath hitched. She assumed this was Miss Denali. The woman seemed to be in her late twenties, and had pale blond hair that fell in loose waves just past her shoulders. Her shirt was a dark blue color, and she had rolled the sleeves up to her elbows showing off extremely pale skin. What really caught Bella's attention were Miss Denali's eyes. The woman's irises were a bright gold. That was a unusual eye color and Bella wondered if the older woman had contacts in. Either way Bella found herself drawn to the depth those eyes seemed to hold.

"I'm Miss Denali. For those of you that haven't figured it out, I'll be teaching you history. You've been selected for this course based on your excellent performance in your past academics. Because this is an advanced course there will be a significant homework load."

Miss Denali walked over to her desk and placed a stack of papers on it. She hadn't yet looked at the class. Bella chewed on the tip of her pen while she listened to the other woman. "Most of you will be placed in an easier course after the first six weeks," the blonde said as she looked up. Miss Denali's eyes connected with everyone in the class all at once. Bella noticed a look of surprise cross the other woman's face before it quickly vanished, and she continued talking.

"Today will be a pretty laid back day," Miss Denali said. "I want everyone to stand and introduce themselves to me. I'm aware you must all already know each other, but I have not yet been acquainted with you. We'll start here," Miss Denali nodded towards a kid in the front row as she leaned against her desk.

"My name's Eric Yorkie. This year I'll be running Central's news column. I consider myself the eyes and ears of this place," Eric smiled, and the redhead girl seated behind him laughed. "My passion is journalism," Eric finished and took his seat again. Miss Denali nodded, and motioned for the second person to begin.

Bella hoped the class period would end before it was her turn. She was never good at public speaking, even if the assignment was to simply introduce herself to her new classmates. Miss Denali seemed to listen thoughtfully to every person that stood up. She even asked some of the students questions about their hobbies when someone said something she found particularly interesting. Students continued to stand and speak. Bella tried to listen to everyone but her hands wouldn't stop shaking. The girl in front of her suddenly stood up and Bella realized it was her turn next.

"Hi. I'm Angela. I'm a junior and I'm interested in photography. I take pictures for the news column." Angela looked in Eric's direction during her last few words.

"Nice to meet you Angela," Miss Denali responded when Angela had taken her seat.

Bella stood without missing a beat. She didn't want to introduce herself but it seemed like there was no getting out of it. She held her hands together so no one would see them shaking and looked towards the floor as she spoke.

"My name's Bella. It's my junior year as well." Bella hesitated. What else could she say? "Uh, I enjoy art," she finally blurted and took her seat as quickly as she could. Why did she always have to be so awkward. "Bella.." Miss Denali said. Bella reluctantly looked up. Miss Denali was looking at her intently. She tried to avoid making eye contact with the older woman. "It's nice to meet you."

Bella nodded, and focused on a invisible spot on her desk.

The introductions continued.

"I look forward to getting to know each of you this year," Miss Denali said after the last introduction had been made. The tone sounded and signaled the end of the class. Everyone grabbed their backpacks and began to move towards the front of the room. Bella was thankful the school day was over. In her rush to leave, Bella's hip hit the corner of a desk and she stumbled slightly. Cool, steadying hands were immediately on her hips keeping her balanced and on her feet. Bella looked up and brown collided with gold. For a moment everything was still.

"Thanks," Bella whispered.

"Anytime," Miss Denali offered a small smile. The woman's voice was light. To Bella it sounded like a million beautiful chords were being played all at once when she spoke.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bella," Miss Denali said as she released Bella's hips. She nodded, and raced out of the classroom like she was on fire.


End file.
